PRESS conference - LIVERPOOL

Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez wants his side calm and confident for tomorrow. Jermaine Pennant sees Athens as a great honour and John Riise is optimistic


Rafael Benitez had this to say from the pre-match press conference in Athens: ‘We are here because we have been doing the right things and we deserve to be here. Zenden has some problems, while Kewell is ready to play the entire 90 minutes. Our players are focused and motivated. It’s not easy to play two finals in three years and we should be proud. The secret of my great success in European competitions? My staff are the key. We have good people, good workers. When you have a good staff then you can be successful. Of course we have good players as well. Everything is good. Our motivations are the same as Milan. I don’t know if Bellamy will play or if Crouch will play. I still have to think about it. We have two or three different options, I will decide later on after training. It’s going to be a tough match. The final two years ago was incredible, the best final of all-time. But I don't want to go through that kind of match again because I think I'd need a doctor this time! I don’t know if I will give a watch to my wife at the end of the match, that depends on what the players do. My players are more or less on a similar level as that of two years ago. We are preparing all the details like two years ago. Ancelotti? He is an excellent coach. As for me, I have excellent assistants and I am trying to analyse every aspect. Gerrard and Carragher are very important players, but for me the key is the team spirit, not just one player. I am sorry that there aren’t tickets for all of our fans. I think the team who scores first might have a slightly better chance.’

Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant also spoke at the pre-match press conference: ‘It's a great honour to be involved. Many players would love to play in a game of this level and just being here is already a great success. This is my first year at Liverpool, I have gotten used to the coach’s tactics and have come to understand my team-mates. I will try to do better next year. Hopefully I can repay Liverpool’s faith in me if I’m picked tomorrow. I will give 110%. Milan are in excellent physical form, they showed that against Manchester United.’

Liverpool defender John Riise was there beside coach Benitez and team-mate Pennant to speak in the pre-match press conference: ‘We have a lot of confidence in ourselves and we have confidence in our winning the final. Our qualification over Barcelona during this Champions League journey reinforced our conviction. We are stronger and more experienced than we were two years ago. We have better players and we will demonstrate that. Milan want revenge and we will respect them just like we know that they respect us, but tomorrow night we will be thinking only about ourselves. What happened two years ago in Istanbul doesn’t give us any psychological advantages. Kakà is the top goalscorer in the Champions League, but Milan are more than just Kakà. As for me, I play for the team not for the goals. We trained in the heat in Spain, but it’s a bit colder here.’